Month: October, 2014

Ok, so my goal of using Evernote for Digital Portfolios is in full swing. Here is a link to my first post.

What have I been up to?
Well, the way that I have been using Evernote is to upload student responses to texts from Reader’s Workshop. I am only focusing on one subject area thus far. I plan on incorporating narrative stories into their portfolios as well, especially their first draft and their final copy to show growth. So far, my goal of uploading two documents a month has been manageable and successful. I have also used the voice feature to record students who need to strengthen their fluency skills to hear how they read and to set fluency goals. Each student has a link to their digital portfolio in their Edmodo library. This way, students have access to the notebook at all times to see where they can improve based on my focused, purposeful comments. See example below.

In addition to students having access to their digital portfolio, the AH HA moment came when I started receiving emails from parents who wanted to check in on their child’s progress. This is when I knew extra time it takes to upload documents was worth it, not that I ever questioned it. I could easily send parents their child’s link with work samples. I have encouraged parents to bookmark the link because when I send out a Remind to them saying I have updated the portfolios, it is easy to find. Giving parents unprecedented access to their child’s work flattens my classroom walls and gives them a specific focus at home on objectives they can work on with their child. It also alleviates the surprise moment during parent/teacher conferences questioning why their child received a specific grade.

So, there you have it. Be sure to check back periodically, as I will share my successes and “failures.” If you have any questions, feel free to find me on Twitter @mrsapia_teach. As always, comments and feedback are also encouraged and appreciated.